Advice for calling Elk?

[Calamity Jane]

I just got back from my first elk hunting trip and I am totally hooked! I was surprised how different it was from moose hunting and I am looking forward to more elk hunts in the future. I was fortunate enough to go with an experienced hunter who could call very well, but I would like to learn how to call myself. Does anyone have any advice on what types of call works best for them? Any tips for using them? There are sooo many different types at the store I wasn't sure where to start!

Thanks in advance.

[Will]

Get a Hoochie Mama ! And no I'm not talking about Ali...........:lol:
:wink:
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=&id=0005558224862a&navCount=0&podId=0005558&parentId=&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=QW&rid=&parentType=&indexId=&cmCat=netcon&cm_ven=netcon&cm_cat=N/A&cm_pla=N/A&cm_ite=netcon&hasJS=true

[hunter1947]

I have been hunting elk now for 37 years and the best call is a hipper hot cow call. Or a double reed elk call ,you can bugle or cow call with the reed diaphragm. buy one and practice with it ,it will be well worth you effort. Cow calling in a well hunted area will be the way to go. http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif.

[todbartell]

Hoochie Mama's are for wannabes

get some mouth diaphragm calls, Primos and Hunter Specialties both make good ones

[Will]

Hoochie Mama's are for wannabes

get some mouth diaphragm calls, Primos and Hunter Specialties both make good ones
...........:lol:

[J_T]

The Hootchie is very simple to use. Just about can't go wrong and it will work when your mouth is out of spit.

I use the Hyper Lip Single and it by far is the most diverse and best call I have used. I keep a Hootchie in the pack for emergencies.

For bugling, I use the Primos palate plate reeds.

The cow call is the key.

[Elkhound]

Get a Hoochie Mama ! And no I'm not talking about Ali...........:lol:
:wink:


Oh man....:lol: When she reads this one........:biggrin:

[moosinaround]

I like the power bugle. I used a hoochie mama, and I'm picking up an ELK cow talker too. I can't use the in the mouth diaphram reeds, gag reflex. My buddy uses the power bugle and he is good with it. Moosin

[ape]

Get a Hoochie Mama ! And no I'm not talking about Ali...........:lol:
:wink:
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=&id=0005558224862a&navCount=0&podId=0005558&parentId=&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=QW&rid=&parentType=&indexId=&cmCat=netcon&cm_ven=netcon&cm_cat=N/A&cm_pla=N/A&cm_ite=netcon&hasJS=true


Sure am glad my ain't Will right now:biggrin::biggrin:

[Calamity Jane]

I did try out a hoochie mama, and in Will's defense - I did like it. For a beginner it's pretty fail safe, at least while I'm trying to learn how to use other calls. I do have a double hyper plate (in-the-mouth reed) but not sure how successful I'll be with it. I'm not sure if I've got in the right place in my mouth, but I do know that it definetely does not sound like an elk :) Any tips for using this type of call?

The hunter that I went out with liked the hyper lip single - so I may invest in one of those.

How's an elk cow talkre work?

Thanks for all the great help so far!

[hunter1947]

I did try out a hoochie mama, and in Will's defense - I did like it. For a beginner it's pretty fail safe, at least while I'm trying to learn how to use other calls. I do have a double hyper plate (in-the-mouth reed) but not sure how successful I'll be with it. I'm not sure if I've got in the right place in my mouth, but I do know that it definetely does not sound like an elk :) Any tips for using this type of call?

The hunter that I went out with liked the hyper lip single - so I may invest in one of those.

How's an elk cow talkre work?

Thanks for all the great help so far! When i started using the Larry Jones triple reed diaphragm 20 years ago ,i sounded like a sick Griz. Then i found out that the single reed was way easier to use. get a single reed and practice with it. Tong presser is the key for mastering it. you press up with the bottom of your tong and buy applying less presser or more presser will determine the loudness of the outcome of the calling. Just keep practicing with the reed. It took me 2 years to master the reed diaphragm with bugling sounds and cow call . Good luck.:wink:

[Will]

I did try out a hoochie mama, and in Will's defense - I did like it. For a beginner it's pretty fail safe, at least while I'm trying to learn how to use other calls.
I need no defense......I don't Hunt Elk(yet) and certainly don't have a Hoochie Mama Call......I do have friends that do however and the common consensus is they work. Sure Reed calls can produce much more varied and natural sounds but for the beginner they can be somewhat frustrating.

Nothing wrong with being a wannabe in the meantime while you master the Reeds;)

[rocksteady]

[quote=moosinaround;199371 I can't use the in the mouth diaphram reeds, gag reflex. Moosin[/quote]

Trim them small with a good pair of sharp first aid type scissors til they are at the point that they no longer make you gag. Too much material for us wretchers....Someon puking on tv or in a movie makes me dry heave, but since I trim my calls not an issue after the first few tries....

I also tried a "sonic dome" this year and easy as pie to use, preformed for good calling...


I usually throw my reeds in my pocket starting Aug 1, then I have a whole month to pracrtice while driving or working alone in hte office...

[RiverOtter]

My preferred mouth diaphram call for bugling, by far, is the double reed by Glen Berry(Berry elk calls). A super consistant diaphram that sounds great.

I did however buy a Primos double reed diaphram this season, the one with the plate above the reeds and it makes unreal cow chirps. Bugling with it however, does not impress me as much, as it doesn't seem to handle higher volumes of air being passed over it and cuts out.

I would highly recommend learning to use mouth diaphrams, even if you need to buy a simple blow type call while you learn. The flexibility along with the hands free use of a diaphram is second to none.

RO